Painting

Title:

Count Rumford's Farewell

Object Name:

Painting

Object ID:

1946.018.18

Creator:

Thompson, Sarah / Countess Rumford (1774-1852)

Place of Origin:

Concord, NH

Date:

circa 1845

Description:

Painting of Count Rumford's Farewell, possibly by Sarah Thompson (1774-1852), c. 1845. Oil on paper. Three-quarter length views of a man (Benjamin Thompson) and woman (Sarah Walker Thompson) seated in a pair of upholstered armchairs. Man at right facing left; right arm extended and draped over the arm of chair; wearing a military uniform: red coat with blue lapels, white cravat with ruff, white waistcoat, brass buttons, gold epaulets, and brown trousers. Woman at left shown in profile to right; holding a handkerchief to her face with one hand; she has brown hair and is wearing a blue dress, and long lace veil held by a gold comb. Beyond the seated couple is a black woman (Dinah) in profile to right; wearing a red headdress, red shawl,and green dress; holding in her arms a white child that faces forward; baby is dressed in white. A green fabric-draped table in right foreground; a sword and tri-corne hat on table. Red fabric left foreground, possibly a shawl. Light and dark brown background. Composition surrounded by yellow border. Paper label on the reverse, written in ink by Countess Rumford: "Concord 3rd June 1852 / My father taking leave / of my mother when he went / away at the breaking out of / the old Continental War. / I, held by a servant girl in / the back ground. / C.S. Rumford". Unsigned. Strainer set into a three-sided frame painted red on all four sides to simulate frame and varnished.

Material:

Paper
Newsprint

Dimensions:

H-21.5 W-20 inches

Provenance:

One of the two paintings on which this scene is based is believed to have been brought to America in 1835 and to have been left with the Baldwin Family in Massachusetts when Countess Rumford returned to Europe in 1838. As the French newspaper backing, where visible, seems to date from 1844, the scene was apparently painted on Countess Rumford's final visit to America, 1845-1852.

Donor is grandson of John Burgum (1826-1907) and Emma Gannell (1826-1923), the adopted daughter of Countess Rumford. Donor's father was Edwin Gannell Burgum (1858-1948).

Credit Line:

The Edwin G. Burgum Collection

People:

Rumford, Thompson, Benjamin (1753-1814), Thompson, Sarah (1774-1852), Thompson, Sarah Walker (1739-1792)

Subjects:

Abandoned children, Dinah, Rumford, Thompson, Benjamin, Thompson, Sarah Walker, Departures, Servants